WASHINGTON — The Food and Drug Administration is considering tightening restrictions for the levels of arsenic allowed in apple juice after consumer groups pushed the agency to crack down on the contaminant.

Studies show that apple juice has generally low levels of arsenic, and the government says it is safe to drink. But consumer advocates say the FDA is allowing too much of the chemical — which is sometimes natural, sometimes manufactured — into apple juices favored by thirsty kids.

There is little consensus on whether these low levels could eventually be harmful, especially to children. Michael Taylor, FDA’s deputy commissioner for foods, said Wednesday that the agency has already stepped up testing and research on arsenic in apple and other juices and is seriously considering lowering the FDA’s so-called “level of concern” for the contaminant.

Arsenic is naturally present in water, air, food and soil in the two forms — organic and inorganic. According to the FDA, organic arsenic passes through the body quickly and is essentially harmless. Inorganic arsenic — the kind found in pesticides — can be toxic and may pose a cancer risk if consumed at high levels or over a long period.

The FDA uses 23 parts per billion as a guide to judge whether apple juice is contaminated. The agency has the authority to seize apple juice that exceeds those levels, though it has never done so.Consumers Union, publisher of Consumer Reports, is calling for the levels to be as low as 3 parts per billion. The Environmental Protection Agency has set levels for drinking water — it’s consumed at much greater quantities than apple juice — at 10 parts per billion.

The Consumer Reports study showed that nine of 88 samples of apple juice taken from grocery stores had more arsenic than the EPA’s standard for drinking water. But none of the samples exceeded the FDA’s standards for inorganic, or man-made, arsenic.

Molly Kile, a professor at Oregon State University who has studied arsenic for a decade, says more research is needed to determine whether arsenic levels in juice are a problem.

Advice for parents

So what is the parent of an apple juice-drinking child to do? Experts agree that drinking small amounts of apple juice isn’t harmful. Some tips:Diversify the brands of juice, Consumers Union says.Don’t give children younger than 6 more than 6 ounces of juice a day — about the size of a juice box, health experts say. Don’t give infants under 6 months any juice to drink.

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